A common reason for medical consultations for children is cough and it also affects quality of life. There are a few population-based evidence on the epidemiology of recurrent cough in children varying by age and sex, or in between children with and without wheeze.

The incidence of cough throughout childhood was determined in this study, which compared several standardised cough questions. This was done for the total population and separately for girls and boys, and also for children with and without wheeze.

In a population-based prospective cohort study, the incidence of cough with repeated questionnaires was assessed from early childhood to adolescence. Questions asked were whether the child generally coughed more than the other children, with or without colds, or had night-time cough or cough was triggered by several factors related to increased breathing effort, allergic or any food triggers.

The incidence was calculated from age 1 - 18 years by using a generalised assessing equations for all children, and also for children with and without wheeze. Out of 7670 children, 10% coughed more than other children, 69% coughed usually with a cold, 34% to 55% coughed without colds (age-dependently), and 25% had night-time cough.

Incidences of coughing more than peers, with colds and at night, and also triggered by laughter were varied a little throughout childhood. Cough which was triggered by exercise, cough without colds, or cough due to pollen or house dust became more frequent with age. Cough was more common in boys as compared to girls in the 1^st decade of life. These differences got reduced in early teens and were reversed after the age of 14 years. All these symptoms were more common and frequent in children with wheeze.

Thus, the cohort study concluded that incidence of cough in children varies with age, sex and with the questions that were used to evaluate it.

Source: Jurca M, Ramette A, Dogaru CM, et al. Prevalence of cough throughout childhood: A cohort study. PLoS One. 2017 May 24;12(5): e0177485. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177485. eCollection 2017.